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Sex workers in places like Pattaya have a shelf-life, and 33 is on the older side anyway. Past 30 and it becomes harder to compete with the pretty 18 and 19 year olds arriving in Pattaya 'off the bus'. It becomes harder to get the same flow of customers; instead they have to rely more on their 'regulars' and hopes of, at least a level of, sponsorship. Some will find other work in Pattaya, others will return home. The sensible ones will have built up savings; and/or maybe already invested in land or a house back in the village while others, living more hand to mouth, go back home with very little. The other observation that I would make is that many of the boys already had other part-time day jobs. For example, one lad from Cupidol I know, worked daytime shifts as a (junior) chef in a local hotel kitchen, but would be at his bar by 8pm, scrubbed-up and down to his tighty-whiteys. Others at Sunnee had regular daytime jobs in factories and construction, and their bar work had always been essentially freelance, but potentially offering welcome supplements to their income. Low season, also saw many others getting part-time jobs, etc etc. Only the most successful were ever only full time stage performers and/or sex workers. Many boys have also always regularly returned home for protracted periods during low season. So I think the 'case-study' presented above risks painting a very simplistic picture of the complexity of a sex-workers life in Pattaya for example. They are already pretty resilient to the vagaries of their 'working lives', although the pandemic closures and restrictions will have hit them far harder than they had perhaps hitherto experienced. The question for me is how many will eventually decide to return to the bright lights of their bars and partying, and how many see the pandemic as the catalyst to move on with their lives.6 points
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The following interview is with a former female sex worker in Pattaya who is now living and working in Isaan. But I think what she has to say could have just as well been said by her male contemporaries. From National Public Radio (US) By Suchada Phoisaat and Aurora Almendra In February, NPR published a story on the tolls of the pandemic on Thailand's sex workers. Before COVID-19 hit, international tourism made up 20% of the country's gross domestic product — and fueled a thriving sex industry. That collapsed in March 2020 when the country shut its borders to keep the coronavirus at bay. Sex workers in the cities of Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket struggled to cope with the lack of sex tourists. Most were barely scraping by, and many returned to their home provinces in the rural countryside. We check in with M., one of the sex workers whom we interviewed and who has asked for anonymity because individuals have been disowned by their families or ostracized by their communities for association with a stigmatized, illegal industry. When we interviewed sex workers in Thailand back in September 2020, many were holding out hope that the coronavirus pandemic would end soon. But the country's coronavirus crisis has only gotten worse, with the average number of daily new infections reaching its peak on Aug. 13 at 23,418 cases. While some resort islands, like Phuket, have reopened to vaccinated foreign tourists, tourism is far from having rebounded. We caught up with M., 33, whom we met in the Thai tourist hub of Pattaya. Before the pandemic, she was earning good money as a topless dancer at a go-go bar and as a sex worker. But when we spoke to her amid the crisis last year, she said she was struggling to send money to her mother, who was caring for her two sons, and was sharing a studio apartment with two other women who worked at the same bar. In January, she returned to her rural hometown in the northeast region of Isaan and started a job in accounting at a local hospital. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. A year ago, you were worried that if tourism didn't improve in Pattaya, you'd have to move back to Isaan. What led to your decision to leave the city? The COVID situation became more severe. There were no tourists or foreigners staying in Pattaya, and I was very worried about COVID. I started to think about going home because there were almost no customers. My roommates went back home around November last year. It was sad. Our room was quiet, and I still had to pay rent for the room [on my own]. Luckily, over New Year's Eve, I made some money from a customer from Bangkok who came to Pattaya for an island holiday, and I saved it. In early January, the bar owner decided to close the business. I wasn't sure what else to do in Pattaya. I called my mother and told her I was coming home. But I didn't leave for another [few weeks] because I was trying to find a job in a [government-designated quarantine] hotel in Pattaya, but no luck. What was the city like on the day you left? I was speechless. I lived in Pattaya for [six years] and never thought that Pattaya would become a deserted city. Pubs and bars that were always lit up at night are now shut down. The beach is lonely without tourists. At night, the beach has become a place for people [who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19] to sleep, and others go there to donate food to the homeless. When I think about it, my heart aches. I'm happy I survived. Before the pandemic, you had dreams of saving enough money in Pattaya to buy more farmland for your family and starting your own rubber tree plantation in Isaan. How much of a dent did the pandemic put in your savings? I only had a small amount of money left. I had about 10,000 baht [$300] saved and used it to pay off my rent in Pattaya. I sent some money [in advance] to my mother for the expenses of my two sons, about 3,000 baht [$100]. What was it like when you first got home to your province? When I returned to my hometown, I still couldn't stay at our home. I had to report to the village leader and was required to quarantine for 14 days. My mother sent me to live on our [small] rubber plantation. She sent me some food and drinking water. After the quarantine period was over, I was able to go home. I didn't have much to do apart from [helping my mom with her] rubber plantation. I was frustrated because I didn't know what to do next with my life. I began to look for work, starting with applying for a job as a Grab rider [a motorcycle-delivery and ride-hailing app]. There are not many restaurants for food-delivery service in my hometown, so most of my job was picking up passengers or parcels. It did not earn much money but was better than staying home and earning nothing. I was also picking up a few shifts at the 7-Eleven and working as a life insurance agent. Your mom and sons depended on your income as a sex worker to supplement their living expenses. How did they survive when you returned to Isaan and did not have a steady job? Living at home without any money [in Isaan] is not as difficult as living in Pattaya. In the countryside, we own a house so we don't need to pay rent. My mother grows vegetables for herself. Sometimes we buy meat from the market, and the price of fresh food is not expensive like in Pattaya. Last year, my mother leased half of her rubber plantation to some farmers, so she made enough cash to live on. What are you doing now? I [started] working as an accounting officer at a hospital [in early July]. My friend told me that the hospital was looking for staff. I had to take an accounting exam to be able to apply. I wanted this job because I intended to [make enough money to] continue improving our house. Before the pandemic, you said your job in Pattaya's red-light district earned you more money than from your previous office job. Are you making enough money in your office position now? I'm a full-time employee with a monthly income. The salary may not be much, but there are health care, child's education and pension benefits. How does COVID continue to affect you? I'm afraid I will be infected with COVID because there are infected patients who come to the hospital. I protect myself by wearing a double mask. What is life like for you now? My routine has changed. On the weekends, I have time to be with my family. I'm making new friends. [Instead of going to bed late because of my evening shift at the bar], I get up early and go to a daytime job. It's funny — I used to complain that someday I would have to sleep like a normal person! Do you miss anything about Pattaya? Party life, handsome men, drinking with friends. I hardly drink now because of my new profession, but I miss it so much. Suchada Phoisaat is a Thai producer based in Bangkok. Aurora Almendral is an American journalist based in Southeast Asia. https://www.wbur.org/npr/1033267519/whatever-happened-to-the-thai-sex-worker-trying-to-rebuild-her-life-in-a-pandemi4 points
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Typical of most governments who all normally seem unwilling to break-up any part of their bureaucracy and instead replace/rename it with something even bigger 🤣 But also any unpopular government, facing street protests, will also seek all means to extend state control. So nothing surprising in any of this; disappointing yes, but surprising no!4 points
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From Pattaya Mail One lane of Jomtien beach road near Grand Jomtien Hotel collapsed, pulling palm trees down to the beach and caused traffic chaos. Pattaya awakened on Wednesday morning to what looked like a scene out of a Hollywood disaster movie. All throughout the night the tropical storm wielded its wrath, dumping non-stop heavy rain all over the country and Pattaya was not spared. The rain did not stop at dawn but kept pouring down all morning and through most of the day. Pattaya streets are known to flood even with the slightest of rainfall, but with such a forceful blitz of rain throughout the night, the worst was about to hit the unsuspecting citizens that day. By late morning, the extent of the devastation became more visible as water rose to new heights in almost every part of town. One of the hardest hit areas was Jomtien Beach Road at the intersection near Grand Jomtien Hotel. The beach road collapsed and slid 5 meters onto the beach. Palm trees and traffic light posts were sucked down to the beach too. Police had to close off that section of road and direct traffic through little sois so people could travel to and from Pattaya. Continues with many photos https://www.pattayamail.com/news/monumental-floods-and-destruction-in-pattaya-wednesday-morning-3710932 points
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I want to invent and patent a failsafe feature for my Twitter; this means receiving a confirmation prompt for every tweet that is mistakenly sent out from the filthy Twitter profile to a recipient … say you are responding to a news article in the public domain. The prompt would require you to confirm yes I want this tweet from my filthy Twitter profile to be posted to this recipient profile. Once in a while one forgets to switch out the profile that belongs in a particular sphere. [This is a smile, not soliciting tech advice]2 points
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and this is question answer to many workers world over are pondering during pandemic not restricted to sex workers. I see people settling in new jobs, deciding to retire, going back to school and making all kinds of decision forced by the situation they found themselves in during pandemic so situation of sex workers in by no means unique although it may be much harsh because , as you noted above, their limited shelf life. As for what happens to the scene anybody's guess is as good as next person. All scenarios are possible from most of venues closing permanently for lack of funds or /and personnel all the way to rebound happening much faster than anybody expects since bringing bar back to life requires dusting of spider webs, mopping floor and making several phone calls to former staff. We can only speculate but in fact nobody knows , even people in the business. My guess is that it will be mix of those extremities, some venues will go back to life very fast and many of others breathed their last already without even knowing it. So for first several months we will have less choices in more crowded places. The same will probably happen to us - some will return as soon as it will be possible, others will take 'wait and see" approach resulting in coming later on or abandoning idea of travel to Thailand at all because they find other interesting places or even that life without travel is quite bearable.2 points
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PM says restrictions could be lifted next month amid signs of infection slowdown
splinter1949 and one other reacted to reader for a topic
Move along....nothing to see here After announcing on Monday that The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will cease to exist when the state of emergency decree was lifted, the government today said something akin to "yes, we have no bananas". From Bangkok Post The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will continue its role in leading the country's fight to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, although it may later be transformed into a new body under a new disease control law that will replace the state of emergency, the government said on Wednesday. According to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, because the CCSA was established under the Emergency Decree, when the state of emergency is lifted, then the CCSA will technically no longer exist. "However, in practice, the CCSA will continue to function while the government deliberates the new disease control law, although it may have to be transformed into something else after the state of emergency is lifted," he said. Mr Wissanu was responding to questions about the possibility of dissolving the CCSA when the government revokes the state of emergency, which it is said would usher in the next steps of containing the coronavirus outbreak. The government is waiting for a new law that will allow it to declare a state of public health emergency without having to invoke the Emergency Decree, which generally covers all other emergencies, including terrorism and mass unrest, he said. "When the new law is in place, a body even larger than the CCSA may be established if needed, so it doesn't really matter if the CCSA is dissolved or not," he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2178567/ccsa-shake-up-looms File under: (a) TIT (b) You can't make this stuff up (c) Th-th-th, that's all folks" (d) All of the above Mr Wissanu was responding to questions about the possibility of dissolving the CCSA when the government revokes the state of emergency, which it is said would usher in the next steps of containing the coronavirus outbreak.2 points -
Me too, although overall I still like the series! Some good news: Ohm Pawat posted a picture of himself + Nanon on instagram with the comment "soon". I guess that means "Bad Buddy The Series" is going to air "soon" ...2 points
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sun rises and sets the same like everywhere, if Thai people eat so wayward tourist will find something to eat. Unobstructed view toward Wat Arun and lack of crowds in Grand Palace may be an attraction itself. For me only deterrent are entry requirements , not what's may be on the ground there. But world is slowly coming to senses , so will Thailand one day2 points
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From AFP / Channel News Asia BEIJING: Chinese authorities have ordered gaming giants Tencent and NetEase to end their focus on profits and cut content perceived to be breeding "effeminacy", as Beijing tries to direct youth culture, gender ideals and the reach of big tech. The move is the latest by authorities to tighten their grip on the embattled technology sector, and sent shares in some of the industry's biggest names plunging. Officials on Wednesday (Sep 9) summoned gaming enterprises including Tencent and NetEase, the two market leaders in China's multibillion-dollar gaming scene, to discuss further curbs on the industry, which has already been ordered to limit gaming time for those under 18 to three hours a week. Among the new targets are media representations of men, which experts say are a cause for anxiety among the conservative, older generation of Communist Party leaders. In recent days, regulators have ordered broadcasters to resist "abnormal aesthetics" such as "sissy" men, calling for more masculine representations in programming. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/china-gaming-giants-effeminate-gender-imagery-tencent-netease-21660161 point
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Massage
floridarob reacted to lopesv2 for a topic
Estudio 5 https://massagemmasculinasp.net/terapeutas/1 point -
Let's Salute Sebastian Vettel
splinter1949 reacted to PeterRS for a topic
I certainly salute Bryan Ruby. But I do think there is a difference between a gay man deciding to come out and a very straight man identifying with and bringing to world attention his support for the LGBTQ community, even though he himself is not gay. Yet both advance the LGBTQ cause since both are role models.1 point -
The problem is not what you or I imagine. The problem is what Thailand's powers-that-be imagine. Considering how so much has been knee-jerk reactions imposed by people who really are not my idea of competent to do so, hardly anything they come up with surprises me anymore. And to me, the more absurd the restrictions, the less I'm surprised.1 point
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Let's Salute Sebastian Vettel
splinter1949 reacted to reader for a topic
This is also an opportunity to celebrate Bryan Ruby who becomes the only active pro baseball player to be out as gay. From USA Today Bryan Ruby first started to realize he was different at 14 years old. That's when the hiding began. Along with the darkness. He found emotional refuge in two different parts of his identity. He's a professional baseball player, a member of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, which makes him much closer to a journeyman than a major-leaguer. And he's a country music songwriter, having written two songs that reached the charts, plus countless ballads in his notebook. Yet it's Ruby's hidden part of his identity that he now believes can have the biggest impact, partially because it's so foreign to the worlds of baseball and country music. Ruby is a gay man, the only active professional baseball player at any level to be publicly out. "I kept thinking about the little 14-year-old me, who was scared because I'm a baseball player who loved country music," Ruby, 25, told USA TODAY Sports. "Those are worlds where people like me are told they can't belong. I'm not a hot-shot prospect. But today, you can't find a single active baseball player who is out publicly. I want to help create a world where future generations of baseball players don't have to sacrifice authenticity or who they really are to play the game they love." His coming out follows a summer in which Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib and Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop also came out as gay. After years of no actively out players in men's professional sports, now there are three. Playing the guitar in his bedroom in recent months, with posters of Dierks Bentley and Cal Ripken Jr. hanging in the background, Ruby sang a song he's co-written that seems especially relevant given his purpose behind coming out. "If that white line ever gets lonely, if the nights get a little too cold, if it don't work out, if you have your doubts, you've got a place to go." Ruby's goal is clear: to help others who are forced to hide their identity, too. "Being closeted for basically 10 years, it was a struggle the whole time," he said. "I used to hate myself. Hate how I felt. I'd ask why am I feeling this way?" "I kept having people tell me, 'Be very cautious of who you tell' or 'They don't need to know your personal life.' The best way to describe the hiding as an athlete is like you're running with a weighted vest on," he said. "It's on all day and you can't take it off. I've been gradually taking that weight off." Continues with photos and video https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2021/09/02/bryan-ruby-only-active-professional-baseball-player-out-gay/8244571002/1 point -
I prefer to ask many questions. I base my tip on honest answers. I don't want just a smile. I want more and often it is a quick guess as to whether or not they will do what they say. But, I also like to tell how much I pay in advance so there are no questions at all.1 point
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Hi. There are a few massage places in SP. Gold https://www.goldtherapy.com.br/ Inhouse https://www.inhouseagencia.com.br/equipe MD https://md-massagem.com.br/ Lotus https://www.xtudiolotus.com.br/ I have never been to Prince, but from what I have read you could choose the guy there. All 4 places above ask you to book the guy in advance via whatsapp, but you could ask if you could select the masseur there. MD has the best infrastructure.1 point
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I think your comment has been widely disproved. As far as I can see there is only one 2014 study in Australia that suggested vinegar might increase the amount of venom released into the skin. But that study has been widely debunked and its methodology seriously questioned. Every medical website I have currently checked still advocates the liberal use of vinegar after the creature's barbs have first been removed from the skin. This includes those from Australia where this particular genus of the box jellyfish found off Thailand originates. The websites include - https://www.healthline.com/health/box-jellyfish-sting#first-aid https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/jellyfish-stings-treatment https://dermnetnz.org/topics/australian-box-jellyfish-stings/ The last one has this quote - "Once on shore, apply vinegar for at least 30 seconds after envenomation; this deactivates penetrating nematocysts. Many tropical Australian beaches contain vinegar stations with clearly marked bottles for public use in case of marine envenomation. (Vinegar is one of a few chemicals, including ethanol, known to cause massive toxin discharge in a research, in-vitro context but not in the rescue setting, where vinegar prevents further toxin discharge when applied to the skin.)" Even the Queensland Government Department of Health's Ambulance Service website advises the use of vinegar -"immediately douse the string area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds." https://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/docs/QAS-Box-jellyfish.pdf There are at least 51 species of box jellyfish around the world. Unfortunately it is the most dangerous of the bunch that lurks in the Indo-Pacific tropical regions. So if I hit a beach in this country, I will definitely have plenty of vinegar with me. Hopefully I'll reach it before my heart stops!1 point
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thank you for the warning but water in tropics is too wet anyways1 point
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From Vietnam Express Poland said it would donate over 501,000 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses and transfer another three million to Vietnam. It would also aid Vietnam with medical equipment worth $4 million, expected to be delivered to Ho Chi Minh City on Aug. 25. In a Tuesday meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Polish Ambassador to Vietnam Wojciech Gerwel, Chinh thanked the Polish government for the help and said he shared in Poland's losses and difficulties during the pandemic, the country having recorded over three million Covid-19 cases and lost around 75,000 lives to the disease. Chinh also requested Poland to continue supporting the Vietnamese community in the country, especially amid the pandemic. Gerwel said Vietnam is the first country outside Europe that Poland has aided with Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/poland-to-donate-501-000-covid-vaccine-doses-to-vietnam-4342422.html1 point
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From Nikkei Asia TOKYO -- Central banks across the world are rushing to develop their own digital currencies in a bid to provide safe and convenient payment systems as digitalization rapidly expands to many segments of the economy. China has been testing its digital yuan in multiple cities while the European Central Bank announced last month plans to proceed with its digital euro project and launch a two-year investigation that will look into the development and impacts of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The Southeast Asian country launched its "Bakong" digital currency in October 2020, ahead of launch plans from the world's major economies, and is currently the only live CBDC project aside from the Bahamas' Sand Dollar. Bakong was developed by the National Bank of Cambodia, with help from Japanese blockchain technology company Soramitsu, in a bid to increase the presence of its own currency, the riel, and gradually shift away from use of the U.S. dollar. NBC's director general, Chea Serey, who leads the project, told Nikkei Asia that "Bakong started sort of as a willingness to connect up the fragmented payment systems in Cambodia." Unlike cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, CBDCs are digital forms of fiat money backed and issued by central banks. Bakong allows Cambodian citizens to pay at stores or send money through a mobile app, without the use of cash, and allows for settlements and remittances to be made in riel or U.S. dollars. Cambodia runs a dual-currency system, with the U.S. dollar widely circulating in its economy. The country's dollarization began in the 1980s and 90s, following years of civil war and unrest. Although the use of the riel has increased in terms of digital transactions since Bakong's launch, Chea Serey explains that the digital currency alone will not be able to switch Cambodia from a U.S. dollar-based economy to one based around its local currency. "There are other policies that need to be in place, like having a stable exchange rate and inflation rate, as well as [economic] growth prospects," she said. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Markets/Currencies/Cambodia-aims-to-wean-off-US-dollar-dependence-with-digital-currency1 point
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From The Toronto Star By Jennifer SizelandSpecial to the Star The thin stern of a pastel-blue-painted boat barely created ripples as the driver propelled us to the moss-fringed mouth of the river cave. We glided past plumes of pale green butterflies, which had gathered to lick salt from the muddy banks, before the damp dark of being inside a karst jolted our senses. My partner and I were midway through a yearlong overland whirl through Asia, and after seven months of life on the road, sailing along a river in Laos felt like the antidote to travel exhaustion. Until then, I had been trying to see and do it all — a hard-to-resist temptation in a continent as vast and fascinating as Asia — and it wasn’t until Laos that I learned to slow down. As I stood on the banks of Nong Khai, looking over the Mekong River that forms the natural border with Thailand, I could see lush trees and bushes after the choking dryness of my preceding weeks in Northern Thailand. Laos was an enigma to me, a departure from the well-beaten paths through places like India and Thailand. There was something so intriguing about a country I’d rarely heard about. As soon as we arrived, I could see that the capital, Vientiane, was unlike any other in Southeast Asia, a relaxed city with tree-lined streets, an easy café culture and palpable history, reflected in ancient, gilded Buddhist monuments and French-colonial architecture. It felt right to sip our first Beerlao by the banks of the Mekong as the sun went down, with fireflies flitting over the water. The whole city seemed to be out on the expansive promenade, taking an exercise class, having manicures and pedicures, shopping or playing cards. I watched as a Ferris wheel spun at a snail’s pace, and it struck me that Laos had a patience I didn’t yet possess. I had to know what the countryside had to offer. The drier season meant that the ex-party town of Vang Vieng was much quieter than normal. Its prime attraction was traversing the Nam Song River in the inner tubes of old truck tires. With the river so low, tubing meant drifting past cows taking a drink, and gazing upon the emerald-covered karsts that line the bank. It was so relaxing that some in our group actually fell asleep. Rivers are the open veins of Laos as they criss-cross the country, and swimming is a beloved national pastime as a result. It’s considered the ultimate way to recharge, so we took ourselves as close to it as possible by staying on a stilt lodge on the Nam Ou River in Nong Khiaw. The river barely moves due to a dam upstream and the limestone crags surrounding it, creating a small oasis we revelled in. Once we travelled past the charming yet sleepy city of Luang Prabang, the already-tiny tourist trail dissipated completely. This meant we had to learn to slow down even more, as public transport became barely existent. Continues with more photos https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2021/07/31/in-laos-southeast-asias-antidote-to-travel-exhaustion-i-finally-learned-the-art-of-slowing-down.html1 point
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How family of a Myanmar junta leader are trying to cash in
Ruthrieston reacted to reader for a topic
Special report from Reuters Air Force chief Maung Maung Kyaw is a key member of the junta that overthrew Burmese democracy earlier this year. His son and nephew are part of a young generation of military families with wide-ranging business interests, including supplying the armed forces. By POPPY MCPHERSON, READE LEVINSON, JOHN GEDDIE, WA LONE, SIMON LEWIS and STEPHEN GREY A week after the Burmese military seized power, a Twitter account that had lain dormant for nearly a decade flickered back into life. The Twitter user mocked anti-coup protesters, hundreds of whom have been killed in a crackdown by security forces since the Feb. 1 coup. After a police truck fired high-pressure water cannons on demonstrators in the capital city of Naypyidaw on Feb. 8, he made a trolling reference to the nation’s traditional April new year celebration: “Water festival come earlier for them lol.” A few weeks later, the user wrote “#fuckthereds,” making a dismissive reference to the political party of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize-winning civilian leader who had been overthrown and arrested in the coup. A review of an archived version of the account, which has since been shut down, revealed the username was a pseudonym belonging to Ivan Htet, the 33-year-old son of a leading figure in the coup: the chief of the air force, Maung Maung Kyaw. But Ivan Htet hasn’t just been an enthusiastic supporter on social media of the Tatmadaw, the name for the Burmese military, which has dominated political life since independence in 1948 for Myanmar, then called Burma. He is also trying to cash in, helping equip the military, along with his wife Lin Lett Thiri, who co-founded a private firm to supply Myanmar’s armed forces, Reuters has found. Corporate filings and a military procurement document reviewed by Reuters, as well as interviews with friends and associates of the family and with five defence contractors, show that the couple are part of a young generation of military families with business interests across the economy. Besides his son and daughter-in-law, the air force chief’s nephew and niece have also prospered: They own a company that supplies the country’s aviation sector, corporate filings and media interviews show. Two defence contractors, a business associate and a former Myanmar airline executive told Reuters that the nephew was also involved in deals to supply the armed forces. Maung Maung Kyaw, 57, was promoted to head the air force in 2018 and has presided over a modernisation program, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on upgrading aircraft used to support a military that for decades has been accused of human rights abuses. These included mass killings in 2017 of the Rohingya Muslim minority with “genocidal intent,” according to United Nations investigators. The military has denied this, saying it was waging a legitimate campaign against militants who attacked police. Continues with photos https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-generals-families/0 points